December 2015 - Dr. Kesheng Wang and Dr. Liang Wang Contribute Textbook Chapter on Alcohol and Nutrition
Dr. Kesheng Wang, Associate Professor and Dr. Liang Wang, Assistant Professors in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology of the College of Public Health, have contributed a book chapter to the molecular nutrition textbook, Molecular Aspects of Alcohol and Nutrition, edited by Dr. Vinood Patel of the University of Westminster in London, and published by Academic Press in November 2015. The chapter is titled “Genes Associated with Alcohol Withdrawal.”
Worldwide, alcohol is the third leading risk factor for disease burden associated with 2.5 million deaths every year. Alcohol dependence is a complex disease, with devastating effects on individuals, families, and society. It is estimated that 76.3 million people worldwide have suffered from alcohol use disorders, including alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. Alcohol withdrawal or alcohol withdrawal symptoms refers to a cluster of symptoms that may occur when a heavy drinker suddenly stops or significantly reduces their alcohol intake. These symptoms can start as early as two hours after the last drink, persist for weeks, and range from mild anxiety and shakiness to severe complications, such as seizures and delirium tremens.
Family, twin, and adoption studies have indicated that genetic and environmental factors and their interactions contribute to the development of alcohol depedence. Whole-genome linkage and candidate gene association studies have successfully identified several chromosome regions and genes that are related to alcohol dependence and alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Furthermore, gene expression analysis, epigenetic studies, and genome-wide association studies have provided regions and loci for alcohol withdrawal symptoms. The chapter contributed by Dr. Liang Wang and Dr. Kesheng Wang reviews the recent findings in genetic studies of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Molecular Aspects of Alcohol and Nutrition is a resource for nutrition researchers and nutritionists who study or treat alcohol-related diseases. Experts from across the field of alcohol research explain how alcohol disrupts normal fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolic processes occurring in the liver as well as other parts of the body.